STRANGERS TO CHRIST. 431
either to come or to cleave unto him with all your occasions. Let nothing put it utterly out of your minds ; make it familiar unto you, and you will beat Satan out of that stronghold, Pro v. vii. 4. How- ever, shake yourselves out of this dust, or destruction lies at the door.
Fourthly, It is the language of the hearts of some, that if they give up themselves unto a compliance with this exhortation, and go seri- ously about this duty, they must relinquish and renounce all their lusts and pleasures ; yea, much of their converse and society, wherein they find so much present satisfaction, as that they know not how to part with them. If they might retain their old ways, at least some of them, it were another matter ; but this total relinquishment of all is very severe.
Alls. 1. The Jesuits, preaching and painting of Christ among some of the Indians, concealed from them his cross and sufferings, telling them only of his present glory and power; so as they pre- tended to win them over to faith in him, hiding from them that whereby they might be discouraged; and so preached a false Christ unto them, one of their own framing. We dare do no such thing for aU the world ; we can here use no condescension, no compliance, no composition with respect unto any sin or lust; we have no commis- sion to grant that request of Lot, " Is it not a little one? let it be spared;" nor to come to Naaman's terms, " God be merciful to me in this thing ; in all others I will be obedient." Wherefore, —
2. We must here be peremptory with you, whatever be the event ; if you are discouraged by it, we cannot help it. Cursed be the man that shall encourage you to come to Christ with hopes of indulgence unto any one sin whatever. I speak not this as though you could at once absolutely and perfectly leave all sin, in the root and branches of it ; but only you are to do it in heart and resolution, engaging unto a universal mortification of all sin, as by gTace from above you shall be enabled; but your choice must be absolute, without reserves, as to love, interest, and design ; — God or the world, — Christ or Belial, — holiness or sin; there is no medium, no terms of composition, 2 Cor. vi. 15-18.
As unto what you pretend of your pleasures, the truth is, you never yet had any real pleasure, nor do know what it is. How easy were it to declare the folly, vanity, bitterness, poison of those things which you have esteemed your pleasures ! Here alone — namely, in Christ, and a participation of him — are true pleasures and durable riches to be obtained ; pleasure of the same nature with, and such as, like pleasant streams, flow down into the ocean of eternal pleasures above. A few moments in these joys are to be preferred above the longest continuance in the cursed pleasures of this world. See Prov. iii. 13-18.
432 HOW TO RECOVER FROM SPIRITUAL DECAY,
Fifthly, It will be said by some, that they do not see those who profess themselves to be believers, to be so much better than they are, as that you need to press us so earnestly to so great a change ; we know not why we should not be accounted believers already, as well as they. I shall in a few words, as well as I am able, lay this stumbling-block out of the way, though I confess, at this day, it is weighty and cumbersome. And I say, —
1. Among them that profess themselves to be believers, there are many false, corrupt hypocrites; and it is no wonder that on various occasions they lay the stumbling-block of their iniquities before the faces of others ; but they shall bear their own burden and judgment.
2. It is acknowledged, it must be bewailed, that some whom we have reason to judge to be tru^ believers, yet, through their unmor- tified pride, or covetousness, or carelessness in their conversation, or vain attire and conformity to the world, or forwardness, do give just occasion of offence. We confess that God is displeased herewith, Christ and the Gospel dishonoured, and many that are weak are wounded, and others discouraged. But as for you, this is not your rule, — this is not proposed unto you ; but that word only is so that will never fail you.
3. The world doth not know, nor is able to make a right judgment of believers ; nor do you so, for it is the spiritual man alone that dis- cemeth the things of God. Their infirmities are visible to all, — their graces invisible ; the King's daughter is glorious within. And when you are able to make a right judgment of them, you will desire no greater advancement than to be of their society, Ps. xvi. 3.
These few instances of the pretences wherewith unbelief covers its deformity, and hides that destruction wherewith it is accompanied, may suffice unto our present purpose; they are multiplied in the minds of men, impregnated by the suggestions of Satan on their darkness and folly. A little spiritual wisdom will rend the veil of them all, and expose unbelief acting in enmity against Christ under them. But what hath been spoken may suffice to answer the neces- sity of the preceding exhortation on this occasion.